Among the Royal Pavilion & Museum’s collections is a group of paintings and sculpture by the artist Glyn Philpot (1884-1937), who had a modernising impact on portraiture. The exhibition explores aspects of his life including his relationship with Henry Thomas and his patrons and his hope to reconcile religious imagery with the contemporary.

This exhibition began with donations from Brighton’s trans community and is now the largest collection represening trans people in the country and possibly the world. Containing artefacts and photographic portraiture, the display challenges the idea that gender is fixed. It also launches Be Bold, a series of collaborative exhibitions and events.

A new bequest from the collection of architect Peter Collymore, who designed the library building for the Britten-Pears Foundation on the site of The Red House in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, is showcased in a new display including works by Pablo Picasso, Paul Nash, Eileen Agar, William Scott, Prunella Clough and others. Picture above: Pablo Picasso, Vingt Poems de Gongora. Picture below: Eileen Agar, Figures in a Forest.

The fan, a fashion accessory often forgotten, is put in the spotlight in this exhibition. The museum has selected fans from its collection to explore the art, language and craftsmanship of the fan interposed with items from the collection that reflect the period in which each fan was used. “We will be exploring the imagery of the fans, how they mirrored fine art of the time as well as looking into the language of fans and how they were used as means of communicating between people, the political propaganda they represented and fans that were used for advertising, dating back to the early 1700s,” explains Gerry Connolly, the museum’s senior curator. Picture: Ivory and pique fan with painted velum leaf featuring the three magi, c1700.

Kim Lovelace runs this Qigong class, which consists of two 80-minute sessions with a short interval. The translation of Qigong equates to Life Force Cultivation, and its movements and postures are incorporated into many aspects of physical and spiritual wellness activities. Booking is essential.

This six-week course, which marks The Hawth’s 30th anniversary, provides plenty of writing practice and teaches a wide range of techniques. It aims for participants to produce a collection of stories for the theatre’s 30th anniversary celebrations, drawing inspiration from the place, its people and its history.

Mondays and Wednesdays January 8-March 28, 6.30pm-8.30pm on Mondays and 10am-12noon on Wednesdays

Tickets £12 per session. Age 16+

This informal class drawing the human form is led by Rachel Cowell of Ginger Moo. The classes focus on learning and experimenting with new materials and gaining new skills. Bring your own drawing materials.

Usual admission charges applyThis major exhibition explores the life and work of the 20th century artist Gluck (1895-1978) who is now recognised as a trailblazer of gender fluidity. Born Hannah Gluckstein into a wealthy Jewish family, Gluck attended art school in London and ran away to Cornwall with fellow students during the First World War. The artist mixed with the Newlyn School of painters and adopted the name Gluck, creating a controversial masculine identity incorporating men’s tailoring, barber-cut short hair and a mannish demeanour. Gluck, who demanded ‘no prefix, suffix, or quotes’, became well known as a painter. Portraits, land and seascapes and floral paintings are all included in this show, along with clothing, accessories, photographs, press cuttings and personal ephemera.The exhibition is part of Wear it Out, a partnership with The Centre for Fashion Curation at London College of Fashion, University of the Arts, London funded by Heritage Lottery Fund. Picture above: Gluck c 1932/Howard Coster Fine Arts Society. Picture below: Gluck, Lords and Ladies, detail, 1936.

Learn and perfect traditional methods of bookbinding, repair and conservation under the guidance of The Keep’s conservator Melissa Williams. Participants can choose their project, from repairing your own books to creating something new, and there’s an opportunity to try anything from a simple case-binding to more sophisticated stitching designs and finishes, such as gold-leaf tooling. Suitable for beginners or those with more advanced skills. A toolkit can be purchased for £25. Bring your own lunch.

This nine-week mindfulness-based stress reduction course uses simple meditation practices to help participants become more present to their experience and manage thoughts, emotions and body sensations more effectively. Participants will learn to cultivate awareness, develop more helpful responses to stress and simple mediation practices that can transform daily life. The course, led by Ed Halliwell, begins with an orientation session, has a break week on March 10 and includes a six-hour day retreat on Sunday February 25.

This eight-week course, run by Alistair Appleton, looks at the simple yet profound practice of immediacy – or simply “being”. It explores ways to help people step into a reality that is alive, unpredictable, vivid and ever changing, and helps people to live in that reality in a way that focuses on others rather than themselves.

Thursday January 18, Tuesday February 13, Saturday March 17, Friday April 13, Thursday May 31 and Saturday July 7, 10am-4.30pm

£70

Professional artist and presentation specialist Lynne Friel teaches how to use straightforward bookbinding and leather working skills to make two unique journals. In the morning, participants will master the basic skills by making a single A6 book, and in the afternoon they will make an A5 journal with space for pens or pencils. All materials are included in the price.

Tuesdays January 23 and 30, February 6, 20 and 27, and March 6, 13 and 20, all 4.15pm

Age 10-12

This 10-week course, led by Joy Forsyth and run by Theatre Arts South, is aimed at youngsters interested in finding out more about theatre, including performing, writing, directing, designing and stage management. No experience is necessary.

The National Theatre’s acclaimed production of War Horse is on a major tour of the UK, which coincides with the centenary celebrations of the end of the First World War. Based on Michael Morpurgo’s story, it’s a story of courage, loyalty and friendship between a young boy called Albert and his horse Joey, set against the backdrop of the First World War. Directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris and designed by Rae Smith, it features groundbreaking puppetry work by the Handspring Puppet Company of South Africa, which brings breathing galloping horses to life on stage. Michael Morpurgo says, “After a few months’ rest, out at pasture, Joey the war horse and his great team from the National Theatre will be touring the UK again, in many places War Horse has not been seen before. I am so pleased this is happening… Steady boy, steady Joey. Trot on!” Picture: Brinkhoff&M+Âgenburg.

Learn how to keep bees on a small scale on this course, run by Wayward Bee, which explains how a hive works, how to keep bees happy and healthy, what type of hive, where to site a hive, swarming, equipment, costs and plants for the bees.

Run by Ann Till at South Downs Quilt Workshops, this eight-part course introduces the basics of patchwork and quilting, with an emphasis on the learning of the techniques rather than the end product. Using a sewing machine, participants will look at new blocks, colour choices, different cutting techniques and other aspects of the construction process.

This nine-week mindfulness-based stress reduction course uses simple meditation practices to help participants become more present to their experience and manage thoughts, emotions and body sensations more effectively. Participants will learn to cultivate awareness, develop more helpful responses to stress and simple mediation practices that can transform daily life. The course, led by Ed Halliwell, begins with an orientation session and includes a six-hour day retreat on Sunday March 18.

This nine-week mindfulness-based stress reduction course uses simple meditation practices to help participants become more present to their experience and manage thoughts, emotions and body sensations more effectively. Participants will learn to cultivate awareness, develop more helpful responses to stress and simple mediation practices that can transform daily life. The course, led by Ed Halliwell, begins with an orientation session and includes a six-hour day retreat on Sunday March 18.

Saturdays February 3, April 7, June9, October 6 and December 1 (one-day course), 10am-3.30pm

£25

Tutor Tricia Johnson, of Art With Trica, gives one-to-one support as she teaches a one-day course suitable for beginners through to advanced students. There will be advice on drawing and measuring techniques, as well as exploring different art forms.

Sharon Knox, of Hot Fusion Glass, runs these one-day taster courses to learn the craft of fused glass, which has been fired in a kiln at high temperatures. Methods involve stacking or layering thin sheets, rods and powders of glass, sometimes using different colours to create patterns or images. The stack is placed inside the kiln until the separate pieces bond. The unique shapes created can then be crafted into anything from jewellery to wall art. All glass materials, breakfast, lunch and drinks are included in the price.

Tuesday-Saturday February 6-10, 7.45pm with 2.30pm matinees on Wednesday and Saturday

Tickets £25-£33.50

Spamalot is a riotous comedy with misfit knights, killer rabbits, dancing nuns and ferocious Frenchmen. Ripped off from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, it follows King Arthur as he travels with his Knights of the Round Table on a divine mission to find the Holy Grail.

Tuesday-Saturday February 6-10, 7.45pm with 2.45pm performances on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday

Tickets from £20. Age 9+

Inspired by the beautiful and sad Hans Christian Andersen tale The Little Matchgirl, and combining Andersen’s other tales The Princess and the Pea, The Emperor’s New Clothes and Thumbelina, The Little Matchgirl and Other Happier Tales reveals a spellbinding world of magic and mystery. As the destitute heroine struggles to survive, she strikes her matches to keep warm. Each match will conjure a new story, a new vision, and the audience tumbles down the rabbit hole with her. Written by Joel Horwood and directed by Emma Rice, this production comes to Chichester following its critically acclaimed premiere at Shakespeare’s Globe. Expect music, puppetry, dark magic… and perhaps some modern truths we would rather remain hidden.

Around 100 gardens in the National Garden Scheme are opening as part of its Snowdrop Festival and Pembury House is one of them. Its two-acre country garden, with winding paths, has snowdrops and hellebores and visitors can enjoy views of the South Downs National Park.

Children can play warm-up games, take a look on stage, take part in themed drama and craft activities led by workshop leaders, and enjoy squash and biscuits. The session includes a look on stage and drinks and biscuit.

Screened live from The Royal Opera House, Puccini’s operatic thriller Tosca is one of the great opera experiences. Jonathan Kent’s production captures the dangerous political turbulence of Rome in 1800. The Chief of Police, Scarpia – one of the most malevolent villains in opera – ruthlessly pursues and tortures enemies of the state. His dark, demonic music contrasts with the expansive melodies of the idealistic lovers Tosca and Cavaradossi, who express their passion in sublime arias, including Vissi d’arte and E lucevan le stelle. Giacomo Puccini’s dramatic work remains one of the most performed of all operas. It is sung in Italian with English surtitles.

Brighton Dome, home of ABBA’s legendary 1974 Eurovision Song Contest win, hosts the contest between six shortlisted acts to be the next UK representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2018. Hosted by self-confessed Eurovision superman Mel Giedroyc and Eurovision royalty Mans Zelmerlow, it’s the culmination of a national song search, with an expert panel passing judgment.

Lewis Schaffer is a New York comic who finds meaning and humour in a family tragedy. He opened 23 unopened and unready letters from his mother, which she had sent before she died alone. He didn’t open them until 15 years later – and asks why hadn’t he read them and what happened when he did.

Stephen Bailey supported fellow comedians Katherine Ryan and Jenny Eclair on tour and it’s his friendly brand of gossipy humour that makes him so popular. A regular on Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother Bit on the Side, he has also appeared on W’s Celebrity Advice Bureau and Channel 5’s It’s Not Me, It’s You. The working class ginger gay northern comic is also a black belt in tae kwon-do and has a degree in languages. Picture: Steve Ullathorne.

Sonia Kronlund’s2017 documentary about Salim Shaheen, an Afghan film-maker, follows his latest production inBamiyan, the ancient outpost where ancient Buddhas were blasted away by the Taliban. Despite Afghanistan’s war and conflicts, Shaheen has made 110 films, using real blood and real guns with real ammunition in his productions.